System of a Down Guitarist Explains Band’s Lack of Touring

It's no secret that System of a Down are fairly inactive when it comes to the extended touring circuit. The band have notably capitalized on rock's festival market since their return friom hiatus in 2011, but long, country-wide treks have remained untouched.

Guitarist Daron Malakian has spoken on the topic in a new interview with Metal Hammer, saying, "I’m the only one in the band that doesn’t have kids and I’m the only one who’s not married. So when we do play, we don’t go on these year-long tours; we do three weeks a month in Europe or a couple of weeks here in the States in October. It’s just enough for us to get out and play and have a good time, and then for everyone to come back home to their families and not be gone too long.”

System of a Down will embark on a rare five-date North American tour this fall. These will be the group's first U.S. appearances in three years. Speaking on the band's impact their career has had, Malakian said, "I just feel really lucky. We haven’t released any new music in 10 years, so for people to still appreciate those songs means a lot to me. A lot of the kids that I see at the System shows were either really young or maybe some of them weren’t even born when our band started, so to see that makes me really proud and I think it’s a testament to the songs."

Frontman Serj Tankian recently addressed their current state and new music delay in a tell-all statement. You can check out a comprehensive timeline of the back-and-forth between members regarding their future in the gallery below.